Hope to blog more about it later, but time is somewhat short today. Saw The Corporation last night, another excellent documentary in this — apparently — Year of the Documentary!
It’s perhaps an overly-long, but overly-fascinating look at the Corporation in today’s American/Worldwide Global Marketplace. Their history, from how they were established to be “a person” for all legal intents and purposes, through their modern day presence in every facet of our lives (realistically, legally and emotionally), through their current and future place as a force more powerful even than the Nation States that once regulated them.
The framework for the film, examining The Corporation as the legal entity of “a person” with all the rights thereof, but without any of the moral or ethical considerations or obligations, makes the case that if, in fact, the Corporation were “a person” it could well be considered — in most cases — to have the psychopathic tendencies of a serial killer.
Many corporate CEO’s are interviewed throughout the film and not all are portrayed as villians. In fact, the argument is well-made that the CEO’s are doing largely what we ask of them, and what they are legally bound to do in the wake of an Industrial Revolution that may have been ill-conceived from the start. Or at best, an Industrial Revolution run amok in an unsustainable chase for ever-increasing profits despite the costs to humanity, privacy and/or the limits of the environment. Several (though not all) of the CEO’s interviewed are clearly wrestling with their corporate responsibilities versus their conscience as human beings on this planet. The revelations are sometimes encouraging, there are some clear heroes here, though frequently rather troubling.
It’s an eye-opener worth seeing for anybody who has lived through the late part of the last century, and early part of the current one. There have been some stunning changes in the way Corporations effect every facet of our lives, especially over the last thirty years or so — from marketing to parents via their infants, to the commercialization/privatization of Public schools, land, water and precious resources — and most of it has been so insidiously gradual that it often has gone largely unnoticed by those of us who have accepted the encroachment of the Corporate culture into our every day lives without much notice or regard to the larger implications.
For those of you (like myself) who frequently wonder what all the hub-bub is about every time demonstrations and riots break out at a WTO conference or a meeting of the IMF, this film may provide some very specific answers.
It’ll likely send a chill down your spine when you hear how the corporate powerhouses of Rupert Murdoch, Fox and Monsanto colluded to keep you from learning of the cancerous dangers from synthetic bovine hormones in the milk you drink and other machinations that are undoubtedly in the interest of short-term profit-making, if not in your best interests for a long and healthy life.
There are too many notable and fascinating segments to go into much detail for the time being. But I highly recommend you give it a look yourself. The Corporation is playing, or coming to a theater near you this summer. You can view trailers and clips online here.
to add my two cents — this is a stunner of a film. yes, there are a few points made in such a way that they will likely be used by conservative corporate worshippers, slaves and apologists to dismiss the entire film as hogwash… but the facts are there, and indisputable. and terribly unsettling.
see this movie. decide for yourself. if it doesn’t make you think about your place in this society we have collectively created, if it doesn’t make you stop and think of the long-term consequences to the potentially devastating problems we have created in the quest for a "better" life in the short-term, if it doesn’t make you think, just a little bit —
then you’re not paying attention.
Though I have not seen the film, I would like to add that in 2004, for the first time in our national history, more people were employed by corporations than small businesses.
That is NOT a good thing.
I think I have to see this film.
Yes. You really do, Teddy. I’d *love* to hear your thoughts on it! The implications made there, have *really* been rattling around in my brain since I saw it. More on all of that, no doubt, to come. Would love to hear your thoughts on it.
Hi,
Saw your post about the Corporation and thought you might find this useful.
cheers//frank
Should we REFORM, REGULATE or REWRITE the corporation? Join the debate!
The online collaborative Corporation Rethink Debate is part of an ongoing House Party Campaign built around the DVD release of the hit film The Corporation. Since the beginning of April, people across North America have been partying with a purpose: to strategize solutions and activate a public confronted by an increasingly corporation-dominated world. Not to mention, have a little fun on the side…
On May 7, 2005, over 1,800 people logged in to watch the live webcast of the first “official” debate with special guests L. Hunter Lovins (Natural Capitalism – REFORM), Joel Bakan (author of The Corporation – REGULATE) and Jeff Milchen (Reclaim Democracy – REWRITE). But the debate goes on and we really want your feedback around the issues and the three "R”s, even if this is the first time you’re hearing about it. All the information collected will be used to formulate a Framework for Action document on Corporate Harm Reduction and to fuel future campaigns. We need your input to ensure the campaign makes the biggest impact it can and action translates into results!
The Corporation House Party Campaign is the brainchild of Good Company Communications, the grassroots organizer of the film, and is sponsored by Amnesty International USA and Polaris Institute in Canada. The campaign is kicking off the launch of the HelloCoolWorld.com network to inform, organize and mobilize people around issues they care about, and provide DIY tools for activists, artists and makers of media. Membership is free and allows you to choose the kind of independent socially conscious projects you want to hear about and get access to all the cool materials we’ve assembled. By joining, you will help build the foundation for a truly collaborative movement and shape the direction we’re heading in.
The merchandise side of the network is HelloCoolStuff.com where we are trying to promote a new kind of shopping that focuses on the issues and ideas underneath the packaging. It’s called “Think-buying” and our goals are no less than to inspire social change and to help customers know where, what and to whom their money is going. It’s all part of our quest to supply the demand – your demand – for a cooler world.